NBC Remote Telecasts

The first televised major league game - August, 1939, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn

Advertisement in Brooklyn newspaper, Aug 24, 1939

One of the two cameras used

Courtesy of Steve Dichter

July, 1941

Courtesy of TVHistory.TV

First Televised Football Game

The first telecast football game in history was made at Triborough
Stadium, Randall's Island, on Saturday, September 30 (1939), when
National Broadcasting Company's television cameras covered the season's
opener between Fordham University and Waynseburg College. Two cameras
were used, the one shown above on the sidelines for closeups, and
another in the press box for broader perspectives. As the electronic
eyes of the two cameras scanned action for these two points, viewers
within 50 miles of NBC's Manhattan transmitter followed the action
without the slightest difficulty. The telecast was relayed from the
field by ultra short wave radio to the main transmitter of Station W2XBS
before radiated over a 50 mile area. The television images were said to
be of newsreel quality (NBC photo, 10/4/39).